Male Misconceptions

According to the 2005 PremCal MAP Survey (Men's Attitudes of PMS Survey), men are filled with erroneous idea about premenstrual syndrome (PMS). For instance, 78% of men in the U.S. think that PMS is just a normal aspect of a woman's menstrual cycle, a third believe there's no cure for PMS, 42% think that men have their own form of PMS, and 21% believe that PMS is an inherited condition.

It's Contagious!

The survey shed light on a host of other misimpressions about PMS including the fact that 12% of men in the U.S. think PMS isn't a real condition but something women imagine, 6% think PMS is contagious, and only 14% understand that PMS may be caused by a deficiency of vitamins and minerals.

The survey was performed in December of 2004 and included 1,000 adults of both sexes aged 18 and above. This was one of the earliest large-scale studies to examine the attitudes of both sexes toward PMS.

Extrapolating from the survey results, it seems that one should avoid interacting with someone suffering from PMS since this is likely to be an unpleasant experience. Half of those surveyed said they had experienced PMS hostility first hand and found it difficult to work with women suffering from PMS. Quite a few said that PMS sufferers give off negative energy (40%), tend not to be rational, and are not stable (31%). They also felt that women with PMS aren't as creative and have difficulty making sensible decisions (19%). Almost one-fifth of the men surveyed said that women suffering from PMS are unattractive both physically and sexually. Men had a greater tendency to say that women with PMS aren't stable or rational (35% of the men compared to 27% of the women).

No Commercials!

22% of either sex felt that ridding the environment of PMS would make this a happier, more peaceful and stable world. Another fifth felt that getting rid of PMS would be like winning the lottery (11%) while 12% of the men compared the potential joy to watching the World Series without commercial breaks.

Not quite 8 out of every 10 adults admit to behaving in a different manner when they have to be around someone with symptoms of PMS, while 59% will put up and shut up no matter how uncomfortable they feel. Some will try to avoid the sufferer (33%) while 28% will be very tentative and careful around the PMS sufferer. Both men and women seem to have the same response to those suffering from PMS whether this is a coworker or a loved one.